Cooking on Slate

 Chef Eric Ripert, chef and owner of Le Bernardin Restaurant, has a unique way of cooking…on slate.

Slate can be used with fish, steak, or poultry.  Think of it like a grill.  So, if you can grill it, you can cook it on slate.  Using slate helps keep the food juicy, tender and the flavor earthy and smoky.  It cooks slower on the slate and sears it.

Just go to your local garden store and purchase a 12×12 inch piece of slate no thicker than 1/2 inch.  Rinse the slate with water and allow it to dry before you start to use it.  Chef Ripert was on Martha Stewart sharing his chef secret. 

Step 1: Seasoning
It is important to season the slate before cooking with it, as the slate will crack if it is heated too quickly. To do so, rub slate with vegetable oil and place in oven; turn oven temperature to 400 degrees. Slate will begin to warm up as the oven starts to reach its set temperature. When oven reaches 400 degrees, let slate stand in oven for about 5 minutes before transferring slate to a gas burner.

Step 2: Preheating
Once slate has been seasoned, carefully place it directly over a gas burner on a stove. Heat over medium heat, slowly increasing the heat to medium-high.

Step 3: Cooking
The best items to cook on slate are any fish without skin (such as tuna or monkfish), beef, or skinless chicken. Oil and season item to be cooked as desired, and place directly onto the slate. Cook until it has reached degree of doneness; transfer to serving platter. Turn off heat, and let slate stand on burners until cooled. If slate has cracked during the cooking process, discard.

He shared a recipe with the slate using Monk fish.  After the slate is heated, place it on the burner.  Make sure that the fish is skinless.  Drizzle olive oil over the fish.  Place fresh thyme, sage, rosemary and garlic slices on the fish.  Place the fish herb side down onto slate.  Keep watch over the fish.  It should only take a few minutes.  Turn the fish over (you may need to use two spatulas) be careful because it will be very flaky.

So, if you are at your local home store in the weeks to come getting supplies for your weekend warrior projects, pick-up an extra slab of slate and cook some dinner.